Employment
Unpaid childcare
About this topic
Unpaid childcare records whether people aged 15 years and over spent time looking after a child without pay, including their own children and other people's children. It reflects the role of parents, grandparents, extended family, and community networks in caring for children.
This topic helps show how childcare is supported outside the paid care sector and can highlight the role of family-based care. It is best interpreted with household type, employment, and income, because unpaid childcare patterns are shaped by family structure, work arrangements, and access to formal childcare.
Interpretation notes
- This records unpaid childcare in the previous two weeks for people aged 15 years and over, including care for a person's own children and other children.
- It identifies whether childcare was provided, not the number of hours or whether care was regular, occasional, or shared with formal services.
Related topics
Key insight
In 2021, not providing unpaid child care was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in Watsonia North, accounting for 68.6% (2,136 people). This share was higher than Banyule (C) (67.8%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 2,114 people and 1.9 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Watsonia North - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Watsonia North in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Banyule (C) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Watsonia North, with comparison markers for Banyule (C).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
922
% of total
29.6%
Change from 2016
+8.4pp
922
29.6%
+8.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
686
% of total
22.0%
Change from 2016
+22.0pp
686
22.0%
+22.0pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
223
% of total
7.2%
Change from 2016
+7.2pp
223
7.2%
+7.2pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
15
% of total
0.5%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
15
0.5%
+0.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
2,136
% of total
68.6%
Change from 2016
+1.9pp
2,136
68.6%
+1.9pp
Not Stated
2021 count
56
% of total
1.8%
Change from 2016
-7.3pp
56
1.8%
-7.3pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+915
+8.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+686
+22.0pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+223
+7.2pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+15
+0.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+2,114
+1.9pp
Not Stated
+53
-7.3pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Watsonia North. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Banyule (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Banyule (C)% | Count | % | Banyule (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 922 | 29.6% | 28.5% | 7 | 21.2% | 29.4% | +915 | +8.4pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 686 | 22.0% | 22.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 21.0% | +686 | +22.0pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 223 | 7.2% | 6.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 7.7% | +223 | +7.2pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 15 | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0 | 0.0% | 0.8% | +15 | +0.5pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 2,136 | 68.6% | 67.8% | 22 | 66.7% | 64.4% | +2,114 | +1.9pp |
| Not Stated | 56 | 1.8% | 3.7% | 3 | 9.1% | 6.2% | +53 | -7.3pp |
| Total | 3,112 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 33 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +3,079 | 0.0pp |